chlorine dioxide water treatment Applications

Irrigation Systems: A common problem encountered in all irrigation systems is growth of micro-organisms in the irrigation pipes causing poor flow, blockages and the potential for the spread of disease-causing organisms throughout the irrigated area, particularly fungal diseases. The micro-organisms flourishing in irrigation pipes include bacteria and fungi and, if sufficient light is present, algae. Irrigation pipes provide an ideal environment for the establishment of biofilm on the inside of the pipes.

In the normal course of operation, hospitals generate a variety of waste products which are not suitable for normal disposal. While some or most hospital waste may be harmless, it is difficult to distinguish such harmless waste from infectious waste. As a result, all of the waste from a hospital must be treated as if it is harmful.

Chlorine dioxide is a significant product in the control of algae, planktonic and sessile bacteria, bio-film and scale in power plants, cooling towers, loops and cooling systems. CleanOxide helps maintain the efficiency of heat exchanger surfaces, reservoir intakes and ancillary equipment. Traditional oxidising agents such as chlorine and bromine, on the other hand, are associated with pH constraints and corrosion problems.

Chlorine dioxide is used as a biocide in many industrial water treatment applications including cooling towers, process water and mill water. Its selective oxidative properties usually results in lower dosages of ClO2 while also achieving improved microbial performance.

Chlorine dioxide is an effective tool for the treatment of potable water. It is a powerful disinfectant that nicely balances purification performance against disinfection by product formation. It is one of four EPA approved disinfectants for drinking water with CT values second only to ozone in biocidal efficacy but without the ozonation by-products or high capital expense.

CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide can safely be used for washing fruit and vegetables, seafood, meat, mushrooms and many other foodstuffs. CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide destroys bacteria including potentially harmful pathogens such as E.coli, as well as controlling fungi and fungal spores ensuring reduced risk for the consumer and increased shelf life for the produce. Residual chlorine dioxide left on the produce degrades rapidly leaving no harmful residues.

Successful pig and poultry farming demands that measures are taken to control the introduction and spread of infectious agents. Chlorine Dioxide has been used very successfully in farming and slaughterhouses as a processing aid that is added to maintain water of good microbial quality. CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide is used for sanitising hard surfaces and processing equipment to assist in the prevention of the propagation and transmission of disease.

Brewing Equipment Sanitisation: Chlorine dioxide is a safe and effective sanitiser for use in a variety of brewing and packaging applications. CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide can be applied to water systems, processing equipment, and environmental surfaces to reduce or eliminate brewery spoilage organisms.

Injecting chlorine dioxide into a well is an established technique for removing sulphides and sulphates from oil and gas wells. CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide is a practically pure solution of chlorine dioxide. It rapidly oxidises the naturally occurring iron compounds, and is also effective at breaking up and removing organic solids and added polymers.

Wastewater Deodorization: The formation of hydrogen sulfide often poses a problem for municipal wastewater treatment. Chlorine dioxide, a powerful oxidant, can be effectively used to control noxious, irritating, or pungent odors from many operations. Moreover, its unique selective properties permit more efficient application at a lower dosage and cost than chorine, hypochlorite, permanganate peroxide or ozone.

Chlorine dioxide is a well-known disinfectant for drinking water with many advantages over chlorination. Today there are estimated to be over 900 public water systems using chlorine dioxide for water disinfection world-wide. Also in Australia it is approved for a wide range of uses. However, the acceptance of chlorine dioxide in Australia as a disinfecting agent for drinking water has been hampered by the crude methods available for generating chlorine dioxide – methods that require relatively complex equipment and/or produce impure chlorine dioxide with many undesirable impurities.

Biological fouling of reverse osmosis is a common problem leading to reduced efficiency and reduced membrane life. CleanOxide Liquid 75 is pure Chlorine dioxide which is a highly effective biocide ideal for use in reverse osmosis systems. CleanOxide Chlorine Dioxide has all the important regulatory approvals in Australia and overseas to be used in water treatment and food processing. Many strategies have been developed in an effort to control biofouling of Reverse Osmosis membranes including the use of sodium hypochlorite, non-oxidising biocides, heat and pH swings.

As a selective oxidizing agent, chlorine dioxide possesses several chemical advantages when compared to the traditional use of chlorine in wastewater treatment. Chlorine dioxide does not hydrolyze in water, and thus it retains its biocidal activity over a broader range of pH. It is also non reactive with ammonia and most nitrogen-containing compounds, and thus effective at lower dose levels than chlorine. It also eliminates phenols, simple cyanides and sulfides by oxidation. Likewise it is effective at odor control and will oxidize sulfides. Chlorine dioxide is also effective at oxidizing iron and manganese compounds.

Controlling and preventing the growth of microorganisms in a cooling tower is extremely important and required to keep the system running at optimal levels. The presence of microorganisms will cause the system to breakdown and decreases the efficiency of the heat transfer. Typically oxidizing biocides such as chlorine and bromine have been used to treat cooling water. Unfortunately these chemicals are highly reactive with other chemicals and microbiological species found in the water. Chlorine dioxide however is very non-reactive to other compounds found in the water and retains biocidal efficacy. Likewise it is also a superior chemical for removing the biofilm, which leads to the most predominant problems that all cooling towers face.

As a selective oxidizing agent, chlorine dioxide possesses several chemical advantages when compared to the traditional use of chlorine in wastewater treatment. Chlorine dioxide does not hydrolyze in water, and thus it retains its biocidal activity over a broader range of pH. It is also non reactive with ammonia and most nitrogen-containing compounds, and thus effective at lower dose levels than chlorine. It also eliminates phenols, simple cyanides and sulfides by oxidation. Likewise it is effective at odor control and will oxidize sulfides. Chlorine dioxide is also effective at oxidizing iron and manganese compounds.

As a selective oxidizing agent, chlorine dioxide possesses several chemical advantages when compared to the traditional use of chlorine in wastewater treatment. Chlorine dioxide does not hydrolyze in water, and thus it retains its biocidal activity over a broader range of pH. It is also non reactive with ammonia and most nitrogen-containing compounds, and thus effective at lower dose levels than chlorine. It also eliminates phenols, simple cyanides and sulfides by oxidation. Likewise it is effective at odor control and will oxidize sulfides. Chlorine dioxide is also effective at oxidizing iron and manganese compounds.

Horticultural and greenhouse operations are facing increasing challenges in dealing with sanitation issues related to water treatment. Over the course of growing a crop, pathogenic microorganisms accumulate and algae flourish on moist surfaces posing a constant threat to plants and produce. The main challenges lie the areas of irrigation water, elimination of biofilm and algae control. Existing biocidal products, while effective in killing algae, are not effective in removing biofilm from the water lines. The ultimate solution would be to employ a biocide that is capable to control algae on greenhouse surfaces and strip the biofilm in irrigation lines. Chlorine dioxide has demonstrated to possess both properties.

Whether you find yourself in a hotel bath room, cruise ship cabin, hospital, office building, industrial plant, greenhouse, car wash facility or your own hot tub, the combination of certain temperature levels, stagnant water and the presence of biofilm in water systems is a potential recipe for disaster: an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease is often the result of negligence, having legal repercussions for responsible parties. Because of its chemical and biocidal characteristics, chlorine dioxide is ideal for maintaining good standards of water hygiene. Chlorine dioxide has consistently been demonstrating to be the best molecule for eradicating the causative organism of Legionnaires’ disease.

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